Air vibration drill



March 19, 1968 J. B. GUlN AIR VIBRATION DRILL 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 14, 1965 United States Patent 3,373,825 Patented Mar. 19, 1968 3,373,825 AIR VIBRATION DRILL Joel B. Guin, 148 E. 48th St., New York, N.Y. 10017 Filed Oct. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 495,848

2 Claims. (Cl. 173 59) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a pneumatic vibration drill designed for light drilling operations on hard material, in which compressed air flows into an equalizing chamber then intermittently through an air channel momentarily aligned once each vibration with an opening through a valve closure into a vibration chamber whose inner walls support a shaft on which is rotatably mounted a vibrating arm rigidly supporting and moving the valve closure, extensions from the arm and from the chamber walls meeting once each vibration and forming an air chamber in which rapidly increasing pressure forces the arm back against an opposing force on the other side, thus simultaneously cutting off the airflow into thechamber and forming an outlet for the air to reduce the pressure and allow the opposing force to return the vibrating arm, close the air chamber again and realign the passages for air into it, the vibrating arm meanwhile moving a drilling means attached rigidly to its lower end. Heavy pneumatic hammers are now used for similar operations, but often large capacity is not needed, or is not available because of the high cost. The present drill can be made of lighter and smaller components, and can be operated with smaller compressors. The total capital outlay is therefore much less. However, very large drills using the same principle can be made, and they can be operated by very high pressure compressors. Due to the much more rapid rate of vibration this drill will cut into rock, concrete, pavement or other hard material more rapidly than regular pneumatic hammers. It has the further advantage that it can be made to drill away the material, while the pneumatic hammer merely splits it or breaks it up.

These objects and advantages will be clear and other advantages will appear when the inclosed description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a vertical section through the lower part of the drill with the valve mechanism in the intake position;

FIG. 1A shows the same valve mechanism letting air thru;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the entire drill;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section along line 33 in FIG.

1 showing the bearing of the vibrating arm;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the drill bit;

FIG. 4A is one of several optional shapes of the bit;

FIG. 4B is another of several possible shapes of the bottom of the drill bit;

FIG. 5 is modification of the section of the drill shown in FIG. 1, in which there are two air chambers instead of one;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section along line 66 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section along line 77 in FIG. 5.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a vertical section through the lower part of the vibration drill. Drill structure 1 has internal air channel 2. Screwed into structure 1 by means of threads 4 is cylindrical vibration chamber structure 5 locked by securing splints 6 and inclosing vibration chamber with curved top 8. Channel 2 leads into pressure equalizing chamber 3, thence into air channel 7 which leads into low cylindrical section 5A. Connected to cylindrical structure 5 are closure structure 14 and spring holder 18A the latter secured by splints 19. The vibration chamber is closed at the bottom by bottom plate 22 having center hole 23 and screwed into cylindrical part 5A by means of threads 24. Crossing vibration chamber 15 horizontally is shaft 13, upon which is mounted and around which rotates vibrating arm 12 which continues into lower arm 12A which extends through hole 23. Drill bit 25 having identations 26 is rigidly attached to lower arm 12A.

Vibrating arm '12 has extension 18 which is shaped to form air chamber 16 on the right. At the left of arm 12 is an opening 21 into which spring 20 fits. Arm 12 has rigidly attached to its upper end valve closure 10 with a curved upper surface corresponding to the curvature 8 of vibration chamber 15, between which is curved slit 9, grossly exaggerated in the drawing, allowing free movement of valve closure 10 through which is an opening 11. In this position highpressure air can stream through hole 7 and opening 11 into air chamber 16 thus forcing the vibrating arm to the left. The highpressure air flow is indicated by arrows 29. When the pressure reaches a certain high level arm 12 is forced to the left. (See FIG. 1A). This movement constitutes one vibration which causes drill bit 25 to move within hole 28 whose bottom is shown at 27.

FIG. 1A corresponds to FIG. 1 but valve closure 10 has closed air channel 7, stopped fiow of air into space 15, and freed air from air chamber 16 to enter vibration chamber 15, as indicated by arrows 30, compressing spring 20. Since the pressure in air chamber 16 has now fallen drastically, spring 20 now forces vibrating arm 12 back to its position in FIG. 1. The process is repeated at subsonic frequencies depending on parameters such as air pressure, distance between shaft and valve opening, length of arms 12 and 12A, strength of spring, etc.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the entire air pressure vibration drill showing drill shaft 32 having center hole 33 which connects with vibrator 31. Extending downwards from the vibrator is drill bit 25 connected to lower arm 12A. Center hole 33 is closed at the top by plug 37. It

receives air from an outside compressor by means of air I FIG. 3 is a horizontal section through shaft 13 and arm 12 as if line 3-3 in FIG. 1 were turned degrees in the horizontal plane till it is parallel with shaft 13, within cylindrical part 5A. Shaft 13 is fastened at the left and right to part 5A by screws 43 and 43A respectively. Inserted into the middle portion of the shaft is weak metal layer 45 providing a friction bearing for vibrating arm 12; the arm is held in position at the left by securing ring 44 and at the right by an increased shaft diameter as shown by wider shaft 13A.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of drill bit 25 showing indentations 26 and cutting edges 46.

FIG. 4A is one of many possible modifications of the drill bit shown in FIG. 4, showing indentations 26A and cutting edges 46A. Bits may be square or rectangular or may end in a sharp wedge or point.

FIG. 4B is another suggested shape of the drill bit bottom, showing indentations 76 and cutting edges 76A.

FIG. 5 is a vertical section through a modification of the lower part of the vibration drill shown in FIG. 1A. Drill structure 51 having internal channel 52 has vibration structure 55 screwed in by threads 54, and incloses vibration chamber 65 with curved top 58. Channel 52 leads into pressure equalizer chamber 53, thence into air channels 57 and 57A which lead into lower section 55A. Connected to vibration chamber structure 55 are closure struc- 3 tures 64 and 64A to which is fixedly attached tapered structure 67 closed below by closure plate 69 of durable resilient material. Through plate 69 runs a horizontal shaft 63 upon which is rotatably mounted vibrating arm 62 having on its lower end a vibration bit 70 having cutting edges 72 between which are indentations 72A.

Vibrating arm 62 has extensions 63 and 63A which are shaped to form two air chambers 66 and 66A when the extensions touch successively closure structures 64 and 64A on the left and right respectively. Rigidly attached to the upper end of arm 62 is valve closure 60 with a curved upper surface corresponding to and moving within curved top 58 of vibration chamber 65, the two being separated by curved slit 59, exaggerated in the drawing. This allows free movement of valve closure 60 through which are openings 61 and 61A into which the air from air channels 57 and 57A respectively can stream when closure 60 moves successively to the left and then to the right.

In the position shown high pressure air streams through chamber 53 into air channel 57, thence through air opening 61 into air chamber 66; the pressure very quickly becomes high enough to drive vibrating arm 62 to the right, touching extension 63A on closure structure 64A. The air in chamber 66 then streams through opening 81 into air passage 80A which is separated from passage 803 by partition 1A, both joining in passage 80 through which air pours into and through bit 70 (which is cooled thereby) as shown by arrows 71, thence through holes in indentations 72A as indicated by arrows 71A, to the drill face where it helps to blow out the dust and debris from the drilling. As soon as extension 63A touches structure 64A it forms air chamber 66A and quickly builds up pressure that again drives arm 62 to the left, freeing the air to pass into passage 80B, passage 80, drill bit 70 etc. as shown by arrows '71 and 71A.

In order for the sides of vibrating arm 62 to close off chambers 66 and 66A as it oscillates to the left and right successively, it is essential that the front and rear walls (not shown) of structure 55A below curved top 58 be parallel. (See FIG. 6.) One simple way to accomplish this would be to make lower chamber section 55A square with a round upper section 55 that screws into drill structure 51 by means of threads 54: another would be to make the entire drill shaft 32 in FIG. 2 square instead of round.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section, reduced in size, taken along line 6-6 in FIG. showing tapering structure 67, vibrating arm 80 whose sides extend close to parallel front and rear walls 82 and 82A respectively, enabling it to oscillate freely and still completely control the flow of compressed air from chambers 66 and 66A in FIG. 5. Partition 1A across passage 80 divides it into left and right sections 80A and 803, respectively. This partition need not extend all the way to resilient plate 69 as shown in FIG. 5: its purpose is simply to keep compressed air from chamber 66 from blowing down, around and across to chamber 66A. For closer control valves may be installed at the entrances to passages 80A and 80B.

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 5 showing resilient closur' plate 69 mounted on shaft 63 extending between the lower ends of front and rear walls 82 and 82A, respectively, and held in position by head 81 on one end and pin 86 on the other. Vibrating arm 62 is rotatably mounted on shaft 63 by means of bearings 74. Air passage 80 is a continuation of passages 80A and 8013 after they pass around and below shaft 63.

I claim:

1. A pneumatic vibration drill having a drill structure of hard durable material inclosing a drill shaft pierced by a passage for compressed air to flow from a compressed air source into the equalizing chamber of a vibrator means, the drill shaft having on its lower end connecting means for attaching thereto the upper end of said vibrator means which comprises:

an upper structure attached to said drill shaft and inclosing said equalizing chamber from which compressed air fiows through an air channel into a vibration chamber;

an outer structure surrounding said vibration chamber, the top of which is curved on the underside and is pierced by said channel for compressed air, and the sides of which support opposite ends of a horizontal shaft;

mounted rotatably upon said shaft a vibrating arm to the top of which is attached a valve closure with curved top matching the curvature of said vibration chamber, below which it oscillates, the closure allowing air to flow through an opening therein each time said opening is aligned with said air channel, the arm having on one side an extension shaped to help form an air chamber, and elongated edges sliding freely along the walls of said vibration chamber;

a closure structure extending from the Wall of said vibration chamber structure facing said extension, with which it completes an air chamber when pressed thereagainst once during each oscillation;

a spring holder attached to the wall of said vibration chamber opposite said closure structure and holding one end of a spring the other end of which is pressed against said vibrating arm so as to force the arm back when the pressure in the air chamber on the other side thereof is reduced;

A bottom plate attached to the bottom of said vibration chamber structure and having through its center a hole through which said vibrating arm extends and through which said air exhausts after each opening of said airchamber with each separation of said extension and said closure structure; and

said vibrating arm having attached to its lower end a drilling means consisting of a drill bit of selective shape and material which oscillates every time the movement of the upper end of said arm aligns said air channel and said opening in the valve closure so that air can flow into the resulting air chamber and build up pressure that forces the vibrating arm back ward.

2. A pneumatic vibration drill having a drill structure of durable material inclosing a drill shaft pierced by an internal channel for compressed air to flow from a compressed air source into the equalizing chamber of a vibrator means, the drill shaft having on its lower end connecting means for attaching thereto the upper end of said vibrator means which comprises:

a vibration structure attached to said drill shaft, inclosing said equalizing chamber, curved on its underside which constitutes the top of a vibration chamber, and penetrated by two air channels leading from said equalizing chamber into said vibration chamber which has parallel front and rear walls and sidewalls that support the opposite ends of a horizontal shaft;

a vibrating arm rotatably mounted on said horizontal shaft, having attached to it upper end a valve closure with upper surface having a curvature equal to that of said vibration structure top, and penetrated by two air openings each of which is aligned alternately with said air channels as the arm vibrates, the vibrating arm having parallel edges that extend to said front and rear walls and an air passage leading from said vibration chamber down through its center and lower sections and being divided into right and left sections by a partition, the arm dividing the vibration chamber into left and right air chambers;

two extensions, one attached to each side of said vibrating arm, each shaped to form one of said air chambers;

two closure structures, each attached to one of the sidewalls of said vibration chamber opposing said extensions so as to form with the extension one of said air chambers with each vibration of the arm, the

right chamber receiving air from the equalizing chameating With the air passage in said arm so that air can ber through the right air channel and right air openexhaust alternately from the right and then the left ing when these two are momentarily aligned with air chamber into the work face.

each vibration of the arm, the increased pressure immediately forcing the arm to the left, thus cutting 5 References Clted olfltherair thrguglhfthe right oneilnillilg lariifzi imniedi- UNITED STATES PATENTS ate y a lgningt e e t openlng wit t e e an c annel so air can flow into the left air chamber, the air REESE from the right air chamber flowing through the air 2722918 11/1955 Kimball X pas.sage leadmg through the arm; 10 2 788 768 4/1957 Fischer 173---134X a horizontal closure plate of durable resilient material 2884901 5/1959 91 232 attached to the bottom of said vibratlon structure 2,894,724 7/1959 Andrew 173*121 X and closely surrounding said vibrating arm so as to close 01f said right and left air chambers, said hori- CHARLES OCONNELL, Primary Examiner zontal shaft running through the middle portion of 15 the closure plate; and FRED C. MATTERN, NILE C. BYERS, JR.,

a drilling means rigidly mounted to the bottom of said Examme's vibrating arms and having passages therein communi- L. P. KESSLER, Assistant Examiner. 

